Grafting tool



Aug. 18, 1936. w, E, RAW 2,051,393

GRAFT ING TOOL Filed Sept. 11, 1955 A T'TOE/VE y Patented Aug. 18, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 11, 1935, Serial No.40,054

2 Claims.

In one method of grafting it is common practice to saw a limb off of a.tree at a selected point and then saw a wedge-shaped piece out of theedge of the limb portion remaining, and fitting a scion into thewedge-shaped opening thus made. In forming this wedge-shaped cut in themanner indicated the saw invariably leaves a cut with rough surfaces,and one that is fibrous and indefinite where the two sides join, withthe result that in order to provide a perfect job other finishing toolsmust be used.

It is also true that in the above indicated method it is frequentlydifiicult to form a cut as desired because of the difliculty in handlingthe saw in awkward positions.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a toolso constructed and arranged that the desired operation may be performedquickly and smoothly in one operation or movement, and that may bereadily applied to a limb portion in any position.

It is also an object to provide a tool of the character indicated soconstructed and arranged that one portion may be readily applied as achisel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a tool of the characterindicated that will be economical to manufacture, simple in form andconstruction, strong, durable, and highly efficient in its practicalapplication.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tool embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a View on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed I show atl a one-piece bar forming a handle portion 2 and having a part 3disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the handleportion 2 and thence curving backwardly toward said axis as at 4. Thepart 4 forms a finger terminating at 5 to bear against the end of thecut limb, a portion of which is indicated in dotted lines at 6.

At 1 is shown another substantially straight bar having a handle portion8 and having a bifurcated end portion 9 adapted to receive the part 3 ofbar I.

The bars l and l are pivotally connected at their point of intersectionby means of a bolt as shown at H), consequently the two bars have arelative swinging movement about the pivot l0 and in a common plane.

A spring I I is inserted between the two handle portions to normallyurge them apart.

The cutting blade comprises a V shaped member l2 having parallel legportions l3 which seat in sockets such as M in bifurcations 9 and boltedto the bar I as at IS. The front end of the member I2 is sharpened toform a chisel edge at It, and the two converging upper edges are alsosharpened as at H.

In using the tool the finger 4 is placed upon the end of the freshly cutend of the limb with the point of the cutting member I2 in engagementwith the side of the limb .as shown. Now when the two handles arepressed together the bar l rotates about its fulcrum It! and the cuttingmember is forced upwardly through the bark and wood and the desiredsegment of the tree is quickly and smoothly cut out and is removed bydropping away through the space between the sides of the V shaped memberl2 as at l8.

When the bar I is held in one fixed position the cut made by the pointof member l2 will, of course, be arcuate in form because the said pointmoves in a circle about the fulcrum I0. But if so desired the cut may bestraightened somewhat during the cutting operation by elevating thehandle 8 at the same time that the two handles are being pressedtogether, thereby moving the whole tool about the point 5.

Ordinarily the bar I will be held substantially stationary when in use,any movement that it may have being upwardly and pivoting on point 5.

In this device the bar I functions as a support for the movable fulcrumIt only, and does not take any part in the actual cutting.

If it is desired to use the bar 1 as a chisel only for enlarging orshaping the cut the bolt l0 may be removed and the two bars separated.The bolts l5 may also be removed if desired and the part l2 detachedfrom the bar 1 for convenience in sharpening the cutting edges.

It is to be understood, of course, that while I have herein shown anddescribed but one specific embodiment of the invention changes in form,construction, and method of assembly and application may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A grafting tool comprising, a pair of fulcrumed arms, one armterminating at one end in a finger adapted to bear against the end ofthe limb to be cut, and the other arm having its corresponding endterminating in a. v shaped cutting blade with the cutting edges disposedin opposed relation to said finger but out of cutting relationshiptherewith.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which the front or closed endof the V shaped blade is also provided with a cutting edge in angularrelation to the V shaped cutting edges.

WILLIAM E. RAWLINGS.

